CITY MP Christine Russell has attacked the county council for holding up a venture which could bring a hotel to Chester and open up a major tourist attraction.

Ms Russell says the council's failure to free up 30 parking spaces - currently used by County Hall employees - for hotel guests is blocking an aspiration by the Malmaison/Hotel du Vin group to open up a boutique-style hotel.

Ms Russell says the development would revive the vacant and crumbling grade I listed buildings on Castle Square and would open up the castle as a visitor attraction.

'I just think that we cannot allow these important historic buildings to rot while discussions drag on for years over the day-to-day management of a car park,' said Ms Russell.

She believes there is an opportunity to regenerate the site which could be lost if the council did not get its act together. The Malmaison/Hotel du Vin group, who would like to occupy Colvin House and Napier House, are specialists in bringing old buildings back into use.

Ms Russell said building owners Crown Estates, the city council and English Heritage were all on board but the county council is not giving in over the 275-space Castle Square car park.

'Crown Estates say they are finding negotiations with the county council very difficult,' said Ms Russell.

'It cannot be hard for the council to sit down with the potential owners and work out car park management plan.

'This is a potential win-win situation which would bring some of the most important listed historic buildings back into use and open up access to the castle. It's a forgotten corner of Chester.'

A county council spokesman said: 'We are keen to encourage development to preserve these historic buildings.

'The hotel proposal seems to support this aim. However, there are parking issues which need to be overcome.

'At present the car park is very difficult to manage as segregation of access is not possible.

'We have invited the hotel operator to meet with us and Crown Estates to discuss their experiences in other historic towns and cities where they may have encountered similar issues.'